Fog Lights With High Beams on w/ Factory Switch?

Blue Steel · 03-23-2001, 08:21 AM

Is there any possible wiring scheme in which I could use my fog lights on my 97 explorer with my high beams, since the fog lights go off when the high beams go on? Also, if you know of any wiring configuration, will it also work when just the parking lights are on? or no lights at all? Thanks

Alec · 03-23-2001, 09:50 AM

try this link:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...der=descending

its a search of the lighting forum and features about 4 other threads with this question.

Blue Steel · 03-23-2001, 12:08 PM

Awesome. Thanks for the advice

NedFlanders · 04-06-2001, 05:09 AM

Hey Blue Steel!
Did you figure out anything about the foglights? I have the opposite problem of you. Guess it's because I have a European version. My "foglights" only come on when I switch on the high beams. I would actually like to have them on together with my parking lights and lo beams..

Blue Steel · 04-06-2001, 07:13 AM

I have figured out a way to have them on at any time you want, but it would be some work. What you would have to do is pretty much take off the whole front panel of the dash, exposing all the wires. You would then have to find out which wires go to the switch. Those wires are a 'relay' of a type and only turn the fog lights on when another thing is on(ie your high beams) because the switch is tied into the high beams. That means that the wires become 'hot' only when the high beam is on. You would then have to figure out what wire is hot at all times (or you could buy a fuse tap at radio shack and tap into the radio fuse that's hot when car is on) and then tap into that wire so the switch will turn on the fog lights because power is going to the switch. I think that's correct, but I'm not 100% sure. Either way I found out it was too much work and decided to go buy some PIAA 1552 driving lights (if you have rectangular fog lights) and then install those in the factory fog light position. Then I will install a switch inside and use the fuse tap for the radio fuse so the lights can only be powered on when the car is on. MUCH easier, although a bit more costly. However, much better fog lights (driving).

NedFlanders · 04-06-2001, 07:21 AM

hmmm... yes, maybe thats the best way. the only problem is that I don't have a switch for the front foglights at all, only for the rear ones. Well, I might be able to find the "hot" wire and make it go through a switch of some kind, and then I could choose myself when to have them on or off...

Worth a try anyway, if I can find the time.. First I wanna lift the truck.

But thanks for your answer!

Rune

aldive · 04-06-2001, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NedFlanders
hmmm... yes, maybe thats the best way. the only problem is that I don't have a switch for the front foglights at all, only for the rear ones.
Rune

Rear fog lightd? Tell us more, please....

NedFlanders · 04-06-2001, 07:40 AM

you don't have them in the US? Here in Norway we have to have them. They're sittin on the rear bumper. Haven't got any pictures of my truck from the rear, but you can "almost" see it here:

If you consentrate you'll see it's some red color on the bumper...

NedFlanders · 04-06-2001, 07:45 AM

hmmm... my -img- linking didn't work.. here it is:
http://external.eyeone.com/3d/Rune/v...stm_rune01.htm

Blue Steel · 04-06-2001, 02:09 PM

That's some work if you don't have a switch for the front fog lights at all! If you really like driving with the fog lights on and don't really use them for real fog, I definately recommend the PIAA 1552 clear driving lights. Really good, and it makes it much brighter than the almost useless factory fog lights. hey, how come europeans got rear fog lights?!? you guys always get the better deals with cars... BMW limits their speed electronically on my mom's 740iL at 142 mph. In europe, there's no such thing as a speed limiter on them... oh well!

aldive · 04-06-2001, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NedFlanders
you don't have them in the US? Here in Norway we have to have them. They're sittin on the rear bumper.

Plese explain why they are required?

MarcLax27 · 04-15-2001, 03:40 PM

The truck kills the fogs because the high beams drain more power than the regular beams. Maybe the truck can handle the highs and the fogs at the same time but its designed that way for a reason.

NedFlanders · 04-17-2001, 03:29 AM

Don't know why the rear fogs are required. But they do help others to see you if the fog is really thick, since they have more light in them than the ordinary rear lights. They will also help your visibility if you're driving towards the sun when it's low on the sky. Don't know about the US, but at least up here in the north the sun can be quite strong as it's getting close to the horizon..
Mostly they're just annoying though, since a lot of people tend to turn them on as soon as it's just a little fog, and they will just be too bright! (and of course, they forget to turn them off afterwards too)
I think I've used them maybe two or three times during the 11 years I've had my driving license...

ChrisHeapy · 04-17-2001, 05:46 AM

You're right, they are more a danger themselves when used inappropriately. It's difficult to see the brake lights come on due to the glare.

*NaplesBill* · 04-19-2001, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blue Steel
Is there any possible wiring scheme in which I could use my fog lights on my 97 explorer with my high beams, since the fog lights go off when the high beams go on? Also, if you know of any wiring configuration, will it also work when just the parking lights are on? or no lights at all? Thanks

You should be able to jump the constant 12v wire on your foglight relay. Basically making the truck think the low beam headlights are on. I did this on my Contour. Here is a link to the instructions:
http://communities.msn.com/BillsCont...naventryid=105

This was really designed to allow for the fog lights to come on with the parking lights. A side effect of the fix was that they stayed on while running the high beams.

Hope this helps!

Blue Steel · 04-20-2001, 07:41 AM

NaplesBill, that's an interesting idea. never thought of it that way. anyways, i managed to fix my problem by buying some piaa 1552 driving lights in place of my fog lights and used their wiring harness instead of the ford one that the fog lights ran to. at least now i can switch those buggers on no matter what is running

man those things are brighter than my headlights!

03-23-2001, 08:21 AM	#1
Blue Steel Wannabe Elite Explorer Wilmington, NC Explorer '97 XLT SOHC Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 767 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Is there any possible wiring scheme in which I could use my fog lights on my 97 explorer with my high beams, since the fog lights go off when the high beams go on? Also, if you know of any wiring configuration, will it also work when just the parking lights are on? or no lights at all? Thanks __________________ 31X10.5 BFGoodrich KO's w/TT & WAR-153 & add-a-leafs, OME shocks Hidden Hitch Front Receiver Hitch and rear Tube Hitch, Manik One Piece Brush Guard, PIAA 1500 Driving Lights, Hella 1000 Euro Lights My Web Site

03-23-2001, 09:50 AM	#2
Alec Elite Moderator Houston, Texas 2008 JK Join Date: Apr 2000 Posts: 16,061 Vehicle Specs	try this link: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...der=descending its a search of the lighting forum and features about 4 other threads with this question. __________________ Alec "Dr. Candlepower" Rosenbaum Daily: 2008 JK Gone: EE "Splat", 2003 VW GTI VR6, 85 Bronco project

03-23-2001, 12:08 PM	#3
Blue Steel Wannabe Elite Explorer Wilmington, NC Explorer '97 XLT SOHC Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 767 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Awesome. Thanks for the advice __________________ 31X10.5 BFGoodrich KO's w/TT & WAR-153 & add-a-leafs, OME shocks Hidden Hitch Front Receiver Hitch and rear Tube Hitch, Manik One Piece Brush Guard, PIAA 1500 Driving Lights, Hella 1000 Euro Lights My Web Site

04-06-2001, 07:13 AM	#5
Blue Steel Wannabe Elite Explorer Wilmington, NC Explorer '97 XLT SOHC Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 767 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	I have figured out a way to have them on at any time you want, but it would be some work. What you would have to do is pretty much take off the whole front panel of the dash, exposing all the wires. You would then have to find out which wires go to the switch. Those wires are a 'relay' of a type and only turn the fog lights on when another thing is on(ie your high beams) because the switch is tied into the high beams. That means that the wires become 'hot' only when the high beam is on. You would then have to figure out what wire is hot at all times (or you could buy a fuse tap at radio shack and tap into the radio fuse that's hot when car is on) and then tap into that wire so the switch will turn on the fog lights because power is going to the switch. I think that's correct, but I'm not 100% sure. Either way I found out it was too much work and decided to go buy some PIAA 1552 driving lights (if you have rectangular fog lights) and then install those in the factory fog light position. Then I will install a switch inside and use the fuse tap for the radio fuse so the lights can only be powered on when the car is on. MUCH easier, although a bit more costly. However, much better fog lights (driving). __________________ 31X10.5 BFGoodrich KO's w/TT & WAR-153 & add-a-leafs, OME shocks Hidden Hitch Front Receiver Hitch and rear Tube Hitch, Manik One Piece Brush Guard, PIAA 1500 Driving Lights, Hella 1000 Euro Lights My Web Site

04-06-2001, 07:40 AM	#8
NedFlanders Wannabe Elite Explorer Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 134 Vehicle Specs	you don't have them in the US? Here in Norway we have to have them. They're sittin on the rear bumper. Haven't got any pictures of my truck from the rear, but you can "almost" see it here: If you consentrate you'll see it's some red color on the bumper... Last edited by NedFlanders; 09-18-2001 at 06:22 AM.

04-06-2001, 05:09 AM	#4
NedFlanders Wannabe Elite Explorer Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 134 Vehicle Specs	Hey Blue Steel! Did you figure out anything about the foglights? I have the opposite problem of you. Guess it's because I have a European version. My "foglights" only come on when I switch on the high beams. I would actually like to have them on together with my parking lights and lo beams..

04-06-2001, 07:21 AM	#6
NedFlanders Wannabe Elite Explorer Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 134 Vehicle Specs	hmmm... yes, maybe thats the best way. the only problem is that I don't have a switch for the front foglights at all, only for the rear ones. Well, I might be able to find the "hot" wire and make it go through a switch of some kind, and then I could choose myself when to have them on or off... Worth a try anyway, if I can find the time.. First I wanna lift the truck. But thanks for your answer! Rune

04-06-2001, 07:45 AM	#9
NedFlanders Wannabe Elite Explorer Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 134 Vehicle Specs	hmmm... my -img- linking didn't work.. here it is: http://external.eyeone.com/3d/Rune/v...stm_rune01.htm

04-06-2001, 02:09 PM	#10
Blue Steel Wannabe Elite Explorer Wilmington, NC Explorer '97 XLT SOHC Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 767 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	That's some work if you don't have a switch for the front fog lights at all! If you really like driving with the fog lights on and don't really use them for real fog, I definately recommend the PIAA 1552 clear driving lights. Really good, and it makes it much brighter than the almost useless factory fog lights. hey, how come europeans got rear fog lights?!? you guys always get the better deals with cars... BMW limits their speed electronically on my mom's 740iL at 142 mph. In europe, there's no such thing as a speed limiter on them... oh well! __________________ 31X10.5 BFGoodrich KO's w/TT & WAR-153 & add-a-leafs, OME shocks Hidden Hitch Front Receiver Hitch and rear Tube Hitch, Manik One Piece Brush Guard, PIAA 1500 Driving Lights, Hella 1000 Euro Lights My Web Site

04-15-2001, 03:40 PM	#12
MarcLax27 Wannabe Elite Explorer Long Island, New York 1999 Explorer Sport Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 8 Vehicle Specs	The truck kills the fogs because the high beams drain more power than the regular beams. Maybe the truck can handle the highs and the fogs at the same time but its designed that way for a reason.

04-17-2001, 03:29 AM	#13
NedFlanders Wannabe Elite Explorer Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 134 Vehicle Specs	rearfogs Don't know why the rear fogs are required. But they do help others to see you if the fog is really thick, since they have more light in them than the ordinary rear lights. They will also help your visibility if you're driving towards the sun when it's low on the sky. Don't know about the US, but at least up here in the north the sun can be quite strong as it's getting close to the horizon.. Mostly they're just annoying though, since a lot of people tend to turn them on as soon as it's just a little fog, and they will just be too bright! (and of course, they forget to turn them off afterwards too) I think I've used them maybe two or three times during the 11 years I've had my driving license... Last edited by NedFlanders; 04-17-2001 at 03:37 AM.

04-17-2001, 05:46 AM	#14
ChrisHeapy Wannabe Elite Explorer Macclesfield, UK 1997 XLT (UK version) Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 54 Vehicle Specs	You're right, they are more a danger themselves when used inappropriately. It's difficult to see the brake lights come on due to the glare.

04-20-2001, 07:41 AM	#16
Blue Steel Wannabe Elite Explorer Wilmington, NC Explorer '97 XLT SOHC Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 767 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	NaplesBill, that's an interesting idea. never thought of it that way. anyways, i managed to fix my problem by buying some piaa 1552 driving lights in place of my fog lights and used their wiring harness instead of the ford one that the fog lights ran to. at least now i can switch those buggers on no matter what is running man those things are brighter than my headlights! __________________ 31X10.5 BFGoodrich KO's w/TT & WAR-153 & add-a-leafs, OME shocks Hidden Hitch Front Receiver Hitch and rear Tube Hitch, Manik One Piece Brush Guard, PIAA 1500 Driving Lights, Hella 1000 Euro Lights My Web Site